Family Matters star Jaleel White is no stranger to Hollywood but despite his time as the star of one of the most popular sitcoms of the 90s and the Steve Urkel craze, White is opening up about not being treated as fairly as his white counterparts.

When fans think of Family Matters, Steve Urkel is the first character that comes to mind. For nine seasons, White starred as the annoying yet genius neighbor to the Winslows. The Urkel mania garnered him tons of attention and even a brand line, including dolls and lunchboxes. But unlike other child stars in his prime, White says he was overlooked for mainstream perks, including even being invited to the Emmys.

In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, White noted that his fellow successful child actors like Mayim Bialik who starred on Blossom and Fred Savage of Wonder Years. Per White, he was “made to feel African-American.”

“Fred Savage was always invited to the Emmys; he was always treated like a darling during this time. I was never invited to the Emmys, even to present. I was pretty much told that I would be wasting my time to even submit myself for the nomination,” White said.

Interestingly, the show was part of the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects category in 1996.

A Weekend with the Family